I think the important questions are “what type of information?” and “what would they be doing otherwise?”
If you’re interested in development economics and the choice is between reading everything posted on the Forum and taking a micromasters course in data and development*, I’d suggest the latter. But if it’s a choice between scrolling Facebook and learning about EA, learning about EA is probably more useful.
Then again, it might be better to use leisure time for genuine leisure (reading your favourite novel, playing with a kitten) and use your learning time for the most useful thing you can learn.
I do worry that people “learn about EA” because it’s “learning” that lets them feel good about themselves and that others will praise them for, but it’s easier than learning something they actually need to make the world a better place. If I made an objective list of what I need to learn to help people, EA Global videos and Forum posts wouldn’t be in the top 10, but here I am...
Hmm, different people vary a lot on what they find effortful, but I’m guessing a reasonable substitute for Facebook and the EA Forum for someone interested in development economics isn’t doing an online degree, but probably something like following (other?) developmental econ academics or practitioners on Twitter.
I think the important questions are “what type of information?” and “what would they be doing otherwise?”
If you’re interested in development economics and the choice is between reading everything posted on the Forum and taking a micromasters course in data and development*, I’d suggest the latter. But if it’s a choice between scrolling Facebook and learning about EA, learning about EA is probably more useful.
*https://micromasters.mit.edu/dedp/
Then again, it might be better to use leisure time for genuine leisure (reading your favourite novel, playing with a kitten) and use your learning time for the most useful thing you can learn.
I do worry that people “learn about EA” because it’s “learning” that lets them feel good about themselves and that others will praise them for, but it’s easier than learning something they actually need to make the world a better place. If I made an objective list of what I need to learn to help people, EA Global videos and Forum posts wouldn’t be in the top 10, but here I am...
Hmm, different people vary a lot on what they find effortful, but I’m guessing a reasonable substitute for Facebook and the EA Forum for someone interested in development economics isn’t doing an online degree, but probably something like following (other?) developmental econ academics or practitioners on Twitter.